Spinnaker Club News

Handicap Class News Oct 2014

Date:October 22, 2014

Spinnaker Club

Handicap Class

Newsletter

October 14

Hi All,

National 12 Class

The N12 class has had a long history at Spinnaker Club and has for many years run Open Meets, Class Races and held tuning and training days with its own Class Captain – most recently Felix Newell- Smith. Unfortunately the number of N12’s at the club has fallen to level where it is no longer viable to be run as a class on its own and hence the Sailing Committee decided to incorporate them within the Handicap Group. The N12 is a development class and so apart from being 12’ long to a maximum 6’ 6” beam and up to 78kg; it can be more or less any shape; it was introduced to accompany the International 14 formal class as a cheaper alternative in 1936.

This is one of the early designs when they were ‘proper jobs’ as they would say in the west country:

This is the Uffa Fox design from the 1950s; the 1930’s craft were clinker built traditional hulls.

Ranging to:

To this more modern styling.

I would like to try and keep a focus on the class and am asking one the class members to act as an assistant focusing on the needs of the N12 group.

I am sure that if any member would like to have a go in one then the N12 owners would consider taking you out.

WEB SITE

Tom Walworth has been busy on the Web Site design and has created a News Board for each of the classes. Check the board out occasionally for current news. In the new year it is also planned to get a more up to date list of members, emails by class as our old lists are getting dated.

Up coming event

Sunday the 26th October the club is running a one off double pursuit race one at 11 am and the other at 14:00. I am planning to get out weather permitting. However I am short of crew IS ANY ONE INTERESTED in coming out in my Enterprise, I will alternate helm / crew.

Boat Maintenance

I have just rubbed down and put a coat of Toplac on my Hull which has gone on well. As part of this exercise I always take the opportunity to check the underneath of the hull for damage, rot starting any screw head filling coming away and repair as necessary. Remember the smoother the hull surface then the less water resistance you will get, the new paint coat will also help, and when I get my go faster stripe down the side watch out. The pintles and rudder stock should also be examined as this is an area of a lot of wear and tear. A floppy rudder assembly can lead to poor performance so get everything tightened up.

Tip: I needed to replace one screw fitting but the hole had become enlarged. I drill the hole out and fill using a hard wood dowel; the dowel is cut flush to the wood surface and can then be drilled to take the screw again. This year I have discovered a glue called Guerrilla Glue and I think it is the best thing ever: it needs a moist surface to activate and will swell to 3 times its volume filling up any cracks – so the work has to be clamped. Once dry it is water proof and strong. When I refit screws I put a dab of translucent silicone filler on to help keep moisture out of the screw fitting.

August 30th Poole Harbour Day Out

We had half a dozen boats turn up at Poole Yacht Club of various shapes and sizes and it was nice to meet some new faces. I went with John Miller in his Laser 13. There was a two reefs brisk wind from the west (e.g. blowing down the Harbour). We had spirited broad reach and run south of Green Island and over to Bramble Bay. We met up with Heather & Simon Cowell & James & Irene Scattergood sailed from Llilliput SC and met up with us on the beach for a picnic. Not quite as nice weather as the previous year – we did however get to see some of the Airshow aircraft. We came back North of Brownsea but had a hard claw back upwind to PYC (John and I passed the same buoy on two different tacks).

Boat Park generally

I went up on Sunday to check that my boat cover was in one piece and on the boat. More importantly to ensure that it was still at an angle to drain out. I then tied everything down. I am still very disappointed to see craft with covers off, half full of water, bows on the ground so the bow would fill with water. Please do regularly check on your craft because nobody else will. This week is going to be very windy and wet.

Generally

If you would like me to bring any issue up at the Sailing Committee please let me know – next meeting the Nov 3rd when we will be setting the racing program for 2015.